Varun Gandhi has stepped in to support the candidates demanding for a 'compensatory prelims' for UPSC Civil Services Exams held from 2011 till 2015.

New Delhi: The tussle between CSAT 2011-2015 candidates and UPSC has got a new dimension. Varun Gandhi has stepped in to support the candidates demanding for a 'compensatory prelims' for UPSC Civil Services Exams held from 2011 till 2015. Introduction of Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT) in 2011 sparked rage among UPSC aspirants, especially those having non-English educational background. Though, from 2014 it was considered 'qualifying', candidates lost 'four precious attempts' meanwhile. CSAT was introduced in 2011, replacing optional papers in UPSC civil services exam prelims, of which English section is a part. Implementation of the change in UPSC exam pattern proved to be a serious disadvantage for candidates with vernacular educational background and also those with non technical backgrounds.

'But, we must bear in mind that many UPSC aspirants have invested significant time and energy in the period 2011-2015, to pass UPSC preliminary exams with flying colours. Their efforts must be recognized and duly compensated,' reads the petition by Varun Gandhi to the Chairman of UPSC.

4.2 lakh civil service aspirants from rural India have suffered for over 10 yrs for not having as privileged an education as their English-speaking counterparts.I signed their petition for a compensatory prelims exam so they are given a fair chance.I urge other MPs to do the same pic.twitter.com/F1OivHjrcl

"We are thankful to the BJP government for making the discriminatory CSAT paper 2 qualifying in nature starting from 2015. But since the introduction of CSAT in 2011, which continued till 2014, we have lost our precious attempts. We would like to draw your attention towards the fact that out of 6 attempts given to a general candidate we lost 4 of them because of discriminatory CSAT paper", said a petition by these Civil Service Examination aspirants in March 2017. UPSC Civil Services Exam: 'CSAT Victims' Demand Compensatory Attempts